Charity softball game raises money for Morris County food pantry

WHIPPANY — The supermarket chain Wegman’s and international pharmaceutical company Bayer came together at a charity softball game Thursday evening that raised money for the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris Plains.

Both businesses donated $5,000 apiece to the pantry, with more funds being raised through a 50/50 raffle, a concession stand, and direct food donations brought by spectators.

“It means that we can continue to feed the people in Morris County that are, more often than not, working people or are seniors that are just struggling to make ends meet,” said Sandra Benedict of the Interfaith Food Pantry. “The reality is, it’s very expensive to live here. So the people we once thought of as struggling with food insecurity are changing very rapidly and the number of people is growing pretty rapidly.”

This year was the first time the softball game was held, but organizers say they would like to make it an annual event.